We often think of growth in a tactical way. How can we sell ten more widgets? How can we tweak our pricing, quality, service, etc.? We all get caught up in this type of short-term thinking from time to time. But would you rather grow your business one unit at a time or grow the top line in leaps and bounds? I think we would all opt for the latter, but to get there, the path requires thinking outside the box, courage, and investment.
The most successful companies—the ones with solid growth patterns and increasing bottom lines—are generally led by people who do a good job of taking courageous positions. To grow exponentially we need to invest in talent, technology, and equipment. Of those three, adding and developing talent is perhaps the most important. A leader needs to develop and lead leaders, not lead followers. Followers can execute strategies but they cannot add the value necessary for significant growth.
Have you stretched your comfort zone financially and otherwise to attract and develop the best engineers/production people, sales managers, and IT and human resource professionals for your company? When all of these functions work together it creates an environment in which your business has the best chance to flourish. Developing a world class team is an investment in the future growth of the business, not a cost.
To add maximum value to the organization and to promote a growth culture, all of your key employees must look in the mirror and ask themselves if every activity they are involved with is the best use of their time and talents. We often fall into the trap of working on the easiest and most time sensitive tasks. But if your organization is populated with employees who take this approach on a regular basis, it is time for some changes. Get the right people in the right spots and have the confidence that growth will follow.
Exponential growth is attainable, but only as a result of leaders believing that the actions they take today will result in tomorrow’s successes. Don’t believe it? Contact me and I will share examples of situations where we have seen it happen.
Stephen W. Christian is a director at Kreischer Miller. Contact him at Email or 215.441.4600.
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